In War, Victory
by daughter-of-morningstar
Summary: The legend of a young Dunmer girl who escaped from prison after witnessing the Emperor's death and later become known as the Champion of Cyrodiil is still told 200 years later. But what did she have to do along the way? Did she even want to save Tamriel?
1. Prologue: A Hero's Legacy

**In War, Victory**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or claim copyright of Bethesda Softworks.**_

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_**Prologue:**_

_The Tavern known only by the locals as: 'The Septim's Arms' was especially lively on this particular night. With the cold air getting steadily frostier as Winter descended on the province of Skyrim, any weary traveller would find the warm, friendly atmosphere and a drop of fiery brandy much more a welcoming distraction than continuing their hike to Falkreath; the closest and only town in the South-West of the country._

_So it was for these reasons that the Tavern was filled to the brim of both Travelers and Villagers heartily enjoying good food, drink and the entertainment of a gripping folk-tale or two. As it started too get late, a young Nord with cheeks rosy from the heat of his Mead, stood up and shouted to the rest of the Patrons._

_"Enough of these old Wives' stories! Let's hear something real! Something exciting and adventurous!" He laughed along with his companions. In response to his request, a voice as soft as feathers, yet loud and commanding enough to quieten the racket._

_"I know of such a tale my friend." Every eye in the room was now fixed upon a youth in the corner of the room, hidden by the shadows. From what little the people could make out by candlelight, he was a pale Dunmer with short-jet black hair, dressed in red velvet finery and a heavy green cloak. On his back was a Mage's staff and resting against his hip was a steel Shortsword of Cyrodiil design. He politely sipped his goblet of wine and stared back at his public with bright scarlet eyes._

_"And who might you be stranger?" The Nord who had shouted out before was the first to speak up hesitantly. The impassive scarlet eyes danced in amusement at the question, making the Nord flush with embarrassment at being their target._

_"I'm afraid I can't tell you my name just yet. But if you're all willing to listen to my story, I'm sure you'll find out as we go. For now, you may call me 'Van,'" he smiled faintly._

_"Very well... Van. What is this tale then? Is it real? Is it true?" The young Nord asked curiously._

_"As real as you or me, Serah. As true of any virtue, this I swear. This is a legend that has being passed down from one generation to the next for over two hundred years in my homeland of Cyrodiil. Tell me Ladies and Gentlemen, have you ever heard of the Champion of Cyrodiil? or even The Hero of Kvatch? Defender of Bruma? The Right Hand of the Last Septim? Saviour of Tamriel? Yes? I expect you have but not in this way. Well my friends, allow me to tell you all now that the Champion's legend has since been retold ten thousand times in the past and each story is different in one way or another. But this tale is completely accurate in every way, from her personality, to her beauty, to her skill and courage in the face of an unimaginable evil."_

_"What makes you so sure?" A pretty Khajiit woman with a strong Morrowind accent piped up._

_"Let's just say I was an enthusiastic follower of the Hero of Tamriel's life and I went to great lengths to document her legend," Van responded with a dry chuckle and smirked at the rapt attention he was getting from the Patron of the Tavern. "Now our story begins on the 27th of Last Seed; the Year of Akatosh 433. These are the closing days of the 3rd Era, and the final hours of Emperor Uriel Septim VII's life."_

**Note from the Authoress: Hey all! This is my first Oblivion Elder Scrolls Fanfic and I based it on my favourite Playthrough of the game. The story idea came to me over the course of playing it for so long, and with the release of Skyrim coming in November, I thought I should dedicate this to a truly amazing game. I hope you like my intro cus from this chapter on everything will be told from my character's point of view rather than being dictated by the mysterious NPC storyteller above. Who is he do you ask? Work it out for yourselves when more chapters are uploaded, you haven't really got alot of info on this guy just yet.**

**Finally, big Thanks to My inspiration Leonette, Authoress of the Oblivion Fic 'Broken Daggers,' and who encouraged me to write this.**

**Thanks, Enjoy the Story.**


	2. Ch1: Humble Beginnings

**In War, Victory**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or claim copyright of Bethesda Softworks.**_

**Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings**

All manner of things lurk in the dark recesses of the Imperial City Prison. Rats, Goblins, Murderers, Thieves, Monsters, and Psychopaths; all hidden away from the rest of the world in the filthy Dungeons to rot beneath the Imperial City itself. Many of these creatures would die tonight; but oddly it would not be by any guards' hand that they fell.

But by the hands of a child.

The child in question lay unconscious on the floor of her cell, with her hands still bound tightly with manacles. She had not moved since the guards found her in the cell only two hours ago. Confused as to where she had come from, they'd tried to rouse her from her slumber to ask who had brought her in and for what crime, but the girl remained almost comatose during their interrogation.

Now as Dusk approached over Tamriel, a voice echoed in her mind causing the child to stir into life.

_'It is time to wake up now, little one. You can not sleep forever.'_' The voice was so soothing and tender that the girl felt herself respond to it's warmth and lifted herself up into a sitting position. Her head swam violently, making her feel sick and disorientated. Silently, she looked around her surrounding and wondered what strange place she was in, only to realise that she could remember nothing. Absolutely nothing. Her mind was a blank canvas; she didn't know where she was, or how she got here, but most importantly: She didn't know who she was either. Panicked, the child pulled herself up using the wall to steady her legs until she was standing upright. She tried to stay calm and take in her surroundings carefully. The tiny room she had been locked inside of contained the most basic living accommodations which for whatever reason, made her face screw up in distaste. Over to the other side of the cell, was a large caged door, which she eagerly made her way towards, in the hopes that it would open at her touch. Unfortunately, their was no such luck. After a few shakes of the barred metal, it became apparently obvious that she was trapped. _'So, I am a prisoner then?'_ She thought bitterly.

With the quiets of sighs, she slumped her burning forehead forwards onto the cool metal of a bar, feeling defeated. For a moment, all was silent, until the shuffling of footsteps and a hearty chuckle from the cell opposite her, caused her to realise that she was not alone in this dungeon. She looked up, to see a man leaning against the bars of his own door, eying her in a way she did not like. His ears were pointed at the tops and his skin was a strange grey colour. The man's eyes burned a ruby-red colour, and his shoulder-length, white hair was scraped back off his face. Before, she could ask him anything at all, he shot her a lecherous grin and spoke first.

"I must surely be dead, and in the halls of Azura to look upon such a vision. You are so beautiful, my dear Dunmer maiden." The girl blinked at the way he addressed her. _'Dunmer? Is that what I am?'_ "One of the guards owes me a favour, you know. I could get us put in the same cell. Would you like that? You should have some '_fun_' before the end." The grey elf continued his little speech, and let one hand stroke his crotch teasingly. The Dunmer girl shuddered in revulsion at the offer. _'If I ever make it out of this cell. I swear I'll kill him for that insult,'_ she thought to herself, unaware that the older Dunmer male's perverted smile had spread further across his face."Yeah, you heard me. No matter what the law says. No matter what they told you. You're going to die in here! You're going to die!" He chuckled in obvious delight. The younger prisoner frowned and was about to retort when the slam of a heavy wooden door echoed around the Dungeon walls.

"Hey! You hear that? The guards are coming. For you! Hee hee hee hee hahahaha!" Still laughing, the clearly deranged grey-skinned creature moved to the back of his cell until the shadows concealed him from view. After a giving the retreating form a nasty glare, the Dark elf girl perked her ears and looked up towards the stairway, where the sound of muffled voices were starting to come from. The loud creak of a heavy, Oak door opening, resonated through the dungeon and suddenly the conversation above was perfectly audible.

"Baurus! Lock that door behind us," a distinctly female voice ordered.

"Yes Sir," 'Baurus' replied.

"My sons...They're dead aren't they?" The Dunmer Girl blinked at the gentle tone of such an awful question.

"We don't know that, Sire. The messenger only said they were attacked," the woman answered. She seemed desperate to console this other person as together they walked down the stairs.

"No they're dead. I know it." Came the weary reply as torchlight illuminated the the lower levels of the prison. Now at last, the Dark elf could see the newcomers in the light as, to her surprise, they headed directly towards her cell. _'Maybe that creature was right, and they're coming to execute me.'_ She gritted her teeth, but kept her gaze steady to show these guards that she was not afraid. The small group consisted of three well-armoured soldiers who each carried an unusually long sword at their hips; and one elderly man dressed in silk and purple velvet finery. One of them, was the female she had heard talking and she was standing particularly close to the old man.

"My job right now is to get you to safety," She assured him before turning her attention towards the Dunmer girl's cell. The woman's eyes widened at the upon meeting the curious gaze of the young prisoner, but then narrowed once more as she addressed one of the male soldiers accompanying her. "What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is suppose to be off-limits." _'She sounds angry. Why though?_' The child was very confused, and yet said nothing. _Best not provoke the people with the Blades while Handcuffed and and outmatched_, she thought to herself. One of the male guards moved forward to stare into the cell in blank disbelief as though checking to see if the woman was telling the truth, and sure enough his eyes widened at the sight.

"The usual mix-up at the watch. I-" He gabbled out an excuse that made the Dunmer girl's nose wrinkle in disgust at his cowardice and failure to accept his fault.

"Nevermind, get that gate open," the female guard dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "Stand back prisoner! we won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." She threatened in a manner that the Dark Elf thought to be a little excessive. Frowning at the woman guard, the child slowly started to move away from the door.

"You! Prisoner! Stand aside! Over by the window. Stay out of the way and you won't get hurt." The incompetent male guard ordered, probably trying to regain some of his lost pride after the woman put him in his place a moment ago. Shooting a dirty look in his direction, the Dunmer walked to the back of her cell until her back hit cold stone. The man followed in after her and smugly blocked any chance of escape she had towards the now open door."Stay put prisoner." _'This one vexes me,'_ the child narrowed her eyes and folded her arms in irritation. The others filed in after him and made their made to one of the stone walls beside her.

"No sign of them following us," the other male guard announced calmly.

"Good. Let's go, we're not out of this yet," the woman took a few steps forward to inspect the wall. As she did so, the old man in expensive robes cast his gaze to the Dunmer girl standing in the shadows. Her eyes met his stare and watched as they widened in recognition.

"You. I've seen you. Let me see your face," he beckoned her close with a gesture and she walked forwards into the light, feeling utterly confused and a little annoyed at being made to move backwards and forwards. _'Does he know me? Can he tell me who I am?'_ she thought hopefully. "You are the one from my dreams. Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength." He sighed wearily. The Dark Elf cocked her head slightly to the left, feeling no more informed then she did when she woke up. If anything she had even more questions.

"What's going on?" She finally asked and nearly did a double-take when she heard the sound of her own voice. She sounded more like a woman than an actual girl. _'Maybe I'm older than I realise. If only I could see what I look like. Damn it!_' She thought; angry at her lack of memory.

"Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell." The old man replied gently.

"Who are you?" The Dunmer asked bluntly. She heard a noise behind her that sounded suspiciously like a snort from the arrogant male guard, but she ignored him.

"I am your emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you, too, shall serve her in your own way," He replied with infinite patience, and smiled so kindly at the young girl that she felt herself blush uncontrollably.

"Why am I in Jail?" She managed to say without stuttering.

"Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done... It does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for." Another Cryptic answer that just raised more questions in it's place. _'The Emperor does seem to enjoy doing that,_' the Dark elf thought to herself.

"What should I do?" She said, wary of his response this time.

"You will find your own path. Take care... There will be blood and death before the end." He sounded sincere advice and yet his warning stirred something within her. Something dark and terrifying. For a split second, she saw an inferno and heard screams in the wind. And then it was gone just as quick as it came. She took a deep breath heard the female Guard start to speak once more.

"Please Sire, we must keep moving," she pleaded as she placed a hand on one of the stones on the wall. To the Dunmer's surprise, the brick clicked in it's place and that whole section of once rigid wall, slid away to reveal a rather dark tunnel sloping deep underground.

"Better not close this one. There's no way to open it from the other side," the pale woman suggested before taking the lead into the darkness below. The Emperor's sparkling blue eyes unwilling tore themselves from the Dark Elf's face as he in turn followed his guard down the underground passage.

"Looks like this is your lucky day. Just stay out of our way," said the second male guard. whom she assumed was the one called 'Baurus.' He spoke gently, flashing her brief smile before disappearing into the tunnel as well. The young Dunmer decided that she liked this one and made to follow him only to be pushed aside by the 'Arrogant One' as she had named him.

"This doesn't concern you prisoner, so don't try anything. I'm watching you," he spat in contempt and went in after Baurus. Muttering under her breath, she ventured in as well; pausing at the entrance just once to spin around a smirk at the incredulous Grey-skinned creature that had mocked her in the cell opposite. He shouted something that sounded like a desperate plead to free him as well; but she did not turn back.

The walk beneath the City Dungeon felt like a funeral procession as it progressed slowly and solemnly through the underground tunnels. At first, the Dunmer girl tried to stay close to the group. But after the arrogant male guard, -whose name she later learnt was Glenroy- told her to stay out of the way, she decided to walk several paces behind them. To her surprise, the Emperor also shortened his pace, causing her to quickly catch up again and walk at the Emperor's side as far away from Glenroy as possible. She shot him a grateful look and was rewarded with another fatherly smile that brought warmth to her cheeks. But the moment was short-lived when the woman leading them suddenly cried out:

"Close up by the left! Protect the Emperor!" The Dark elf girl heard the clash of three sets of steel being drawn from leather scabbards and saw all of the surrounding guards charge forwards to meet a foe she could not see from her position against the wall. Beside her, the Emperor also drew his own shortsword, which shone white with years of polished care.

"Protect yourself," he murmured in her direction as she walked to the end of the corridor to catch a glimpse of these so-called 'Assassins.' Each of the Emperor's Guards were locked in combat with figures dressed in red; their faces obscured by intricate silver masks and their bodies weighted with strange steel chain-mail that pulsated crimson like a sliced vein. The Dunmer girl watched silently as the female captain parried blow after blow from the fierce attacks of her opponent's Axe. At one point, the Dark Elf believed the Guard might prevail, but unfortunately she faltered as she lost her footing on some crumbling rock on the floor and lowered her defence to correct her position. A mistake that proved to be fatal, and her opponent took full advantage of her folly.

The Dunmer girl was held in absolute fascination as that cruel-looking Axe came down on the unprotected flesh between helmet and shoulder. Bones cracked and splintered as a scarlet fountain spurted from the wound. The captain's grey eyes widened in horror and froze that way as she crumpled to the ground; her mouth opened in a permanent scream.

"The captain's down!" Glenroy shouted as he finished his attacker with a blade stroke to the gut and rushed to help Baurus fend off his red-clocked assassin; leaving the one who killed the Captain to do as he wished. And from the way his silver faceplate was fixed upon the elderly Emperor, it was very clear to the Dunmer exactly what the assassin wished to do next.

To his credit, the Emperor stood his ground, but his opponent was in no hurry to rush so he stalked slowly towards what he assumed would be an easy kill. Whether or not the Emperor would fall that easily was not something the Dark Elf child wished to find out. Instead, she moved from her shadowy position against the wall to where the Captain had fallen and slipped her blade from her slack grip. She did not understand why she was about to do this; she only knew that she wanted to protect the only person who had thus far shown her any kindness.

With a swiftness she didn't expect from her self, the Dunmer surged forwards, clasping the long sword between both hands and plunging the steel straight through the back of the would-be Assassin. She heard a strangled gurgle and stared as blood spread down the leather hilt and dyed her sky-blue hands. She withdrew the blade and watched as the figure dressed in red fell motionless into the dust. She stood there for a moment, her ears ringing as she drank in her victory. It was only then that she noticed the Emperor regarding her calming with his twinkling blue eyes and she awkwardly lowered her blade; the strange thrill she had experienced as she sliced into the assassin was no longer there.

Smiling once more, Uriel Septim approached her and pulled out a white-laced handkerchief from his left-breast pocket and kindly wiped away some of the blood splatted across her face. The Dunmer girl stiffen with shock when he first touched her cheek with the cool, silken fabric, before relaxing when she realised he meant her no harm and let him continue as father would a daughter.

"Are you all right, Sire? We're clear, for now," The Dunmer heard Baurus say as he sheathed his sword and approached with Glenroy in tow. Their opponent lay still face down on the floor. The emperor pulled away from her but not until he handed her the silk handkerchief to finish herself off with.

"Captain Renault?" he asked tentatively. It was a question that he already knew the answer too.

"She's dead. I'm sorry, Sire, but we have to keep moving." Baurus informed him regretfully.

"How could they be waiting for us here?" Glenroy snapped, but his tone was incredulous.

"Don''t know, but it's too late to go back now," Baurus replied, shaking his head as they all moved together towards the iron gateway at the end of the ruined undercroft. "Don't worry, sire. We will get you out of here."

"They won't be the first to underestimate the Blades," Glenroy declared in an attempt of reassurance. The Dunmer looked over at the Captain's bleeding form and didn't feel convinced.

"I'll take point. Let's move," Glenroy said as he opened the gate and walked inside to scout the next room for move Assassins.

"You stay here, prisoner. Don't try to follow us." Baurus say almost sympathetically as she started to follow in after them. The Dark Elven girl blinked and looked over at the Emperor who gave her another of his trademark gentle smiles:"Here you must find your own path. But we will cross paths before the end, I am sure of it." He inclined his head and turned after Glenroy with Baurus in pursuit guarding close by. The gate was shut behind them and that was how they left her.

Alone in a room of bloody corpses, clutching the hilt of a dead Captain's sword.

++++++++++++TBC++++++++++++

**Not from Authouress: In the next chapter we'll hear from Baurus' side when the Dark elf prisoner meets them again after her adventures in the tunnels and catacombs. Don't know when it'll be up as I wanna work on a couple of Dragon Age one-shot chapters before I get back to any of my long term projects. As always, Reviews are appreciated, and so are heads up on spelling mistakes in this text. Sorry about that, but you guys are my only Editors. Sad really, but true.**

**Oh, before I finished, this one's to anyone who cares to know that my character will be given a name as the series progresses. I'm only mentioning this because I got a message about it. Anyways, Adios, Thank you and enjoy my story.**


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